Ooguri chosen for the Fellow of the American Mathematical Society

November 2, 2012
Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU)

Hirosi Ooguri, a Principal Investigator of the Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe (Kavli IPMU), was selected to join the inaugural group of Fellows of the American Mathematical Society (AMS). The Fellows of the American Mathematical Society program recognizes members who have made outstanding contributions to the creation, exposition, advancement, communication, and utilization of mathematics. The responsibilities of Fellows are to take part in the election of new Fellows, to present a “public face” of excellence in mathematics, and to advise the President and the Council on public matters when requested. The list of the Fellows was made public on the AMS website on November 1, 2012. ( http://www.ams.org/profession/fellows-list )

Ooguri is a theoretical physicist in particle physics. He is working on the development of theoretical tools for applying superstring theory to questions relevant to high energy physics, astrophysics, and cosmology. Superstring theory is a leading candidate for a mathematical framework to describe physics at extremely small scale of 10 to the minus 35 meters, so-called the Planck length. Ooguri holds professorship in both physics department and mathematics department of California Institute of Technology. He is a world leader in the area of interface of physics and mathematics and his contribution is highly recognized worldwide, resulting the inaugural Eisenbud Prize from American Mathematical Society.

“I am honored and delighted to be selected to join the inaugural class of Fellows of the American Mathematical Society. I will work hard to live up to the expectation and to contribute to progress in physics and mathematics,” Ooguri says. Hitoshi Murayama, the director of the Kavli IPMU says, “This is a wonderful news. When I was selected as the Fellow of American Physical Society (APS), I felt endorsed as one of the topnotch members of the community of physicists. The American Mathematical Society (AMS) lacked this kind of tradition and awards its Fellows for the first time this year. They must have had a very careful look at the inaugural fellows. It is remarkable that Hirosi Ooguri, a theoretical physicist, is among the inaugural fellows, which speaks of how highly AMS thinks of synergy between mathematics and physics, and also of the impact Hirosi has been making on mathematics. I'm very proud of him, who has been my colleague both in Berkeley and now in Kavli IPMU.”

The first group of Fellows of the AMS will be officially inducted at the upcoming Joint Mathematics Meetings in San Diego on Friday, January 11, 2013.